Transfigured Hearts 10: Marauding
by MrsTater
Summary: Remus wants to give Tonks the birthday she deserves. The Marauder in him sees their assignment to escort the children back to Hogwarts provides the perfect opportunity to pull off a surprise. But can a Marauder keep one step ahead of an Auror?
1. Part One

_This story follows **In Sickness** in the **Transfigured Hearts** series, and is set during chapter twenty-four of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Special thanks to **Gilpin** for inspiring this by asking if I was ever going to deal with that interrupted whispered conversation in OotP; I doubt she had any idea of this turning into a four-chapter fluff epic. _

* * *

**Part One**

When Remus Lupin entered the basement kitchen of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, he expected to be greeted by a cheerful, if not slightly harried, Molly Weasley and the mingling aromas of buttered toast, porridge, and bacon. The food smells _did_ assault his olfactory sense that frosty January morning, but it was a "wotcher" that rang in his ears. Instead of being mothered to the table by Molly, he caught a flash of pink hair as Tonks threw herself into his arms and kissed him breathless.

It was a delightful surprise and his favourite salutation, but lack of oxygen compelled Remus to pull away from Tonks. "You're here rather earlier than I expected."

A cursory glance around the kitchen revealed they were alone. Molly must be upstairs, helping her children, Harry, and Hermione with last-minute packing for the return trip to Hogwarts.

"For this," Tonks murmured, then pressed her lips to his again.

As she leant into him, she pushed him back through the doorway. Without breaking their kiss, Remus shifted so that they stood inside the kitchen again, just to the side of the door, and he nudged it shut with his foot. Alleviated of the fear of being caught by any of the residents of the Black house, Remus closed his mind to every thought but how eager Tonks' mouth was on his, how insistently she clutched at his jumper, how few and far between these private interludes had been lately, and how glad he was today would hold more such moments.

The thought made him chuckle, and Tonks drew back to study him through slightly glazed eyes. Her lips were too red and slightly puffy, and Remus had mussed her hair running his fingers through it.

"What?" she asked, and Remus loved the sighing quality of her voice.

"Nothing." He tried without success to smooth her unruly spikes back into place, only to realise the point of the coif was to look unkempt, then kissed the tip of her cute, slightly upturned nose. "I was just thinking it's very good to see you."

Her eyes narrowed briefly in scepticism, but the expression vanished. As she stepped around him en route to the table, she stumbled slightly. Grinning over her shoulder, she said, "You made me dizzy."

"That would be quite flattering," Remus said, pulling out a chair for her, "if you were not constantly tripping over your own two feet _without_ the influence of my kisses."

Tonks helped herself to a few slices of toast from a heaping platter. Spreading them liberally with jam, she said, "You really need to work on your follow-up to romantic moments."

"I shall keep that in mind," said Remus with a grin. He poured tea for Tonks, then for himself.

"Fanks," Tonks said, mouth full. When she swallowed, she said, "So, Christmas and New Year were hardly holidays for us."

They certainly were not. Tonks had been up to her eyeballs at the Ministry, dealing with the aftermath of the attack in the Department of Mysteries and covering Arthur's tracks. Time had flown by for Remus, too, as he carried out various tasks for Dumbledore, tended the Weasleys at number twelve, and dealt with a full moon.

Tonks continued, "Do we get one today, after we see the kids back to school? We could celebrate my birthday, since it slipped by."

Remus swallowed a bit of toast too quickly, but despite the ensuing coughing fit, he trained his eyes on Tonks' face in the hope of reading her thoughts in her expression. Had she made her suggestion on the sly? Had she guessed he was scheming something? He could not tell; she merely looked concerned for him as he coughed. He supposed her question should not have caught him off guard. Though he had given Tonks a birthday gift in conjunction with her Christmas present, the couple's conflicting schedules had not allowed them a private celebration. It was only natural she should inquire.

"Sorry," Remus said hoarsely when the paroxysm passed. "What were you saying?"

He set his expression in a mask of seriousness and leant back to study Tonks' face. The Auror was either as unreadable as he hoped he was, or truly had no clue as to Remus' plans.

She chewed her toast, then placidly sipped her tea. "You promised a picnic for my birthday. It's Sunday, so I don't have work after we take the kids to Hogwarts."

"I am afraid we've a second assignment."

"Oh."

He had never been happy to see Tonks' face fall, but her drooping features brought him a good deal of relief; she was so genuinely disappointed that if she _had _suspected anything, she no longer did.

"Anyway," Remus said, dabbing the crumbs from the corners of his mouth, "it is hardly picnic weather."

"At least we get breakfast together," said Tonks.

She leant over and kissed him languidly, but Remus found himself unable to enjoy it properly. His conscience pricked him that Tonks had accepted his dismissal of a birthday celebration without the promise of one. Didn't she expect better from him?

Tonks moved back to her breakfast and before Remus could offer a bit of encouragement, she asked, "What's this second assignment?"

Her abrupt shift to professionalism was startling. "You really need to work on your follow-up to romantic moments."

The look she gave him clearly said that if her mouth were not full, she would poke out her tongue at him.

Chuckling, he said, "I have not yet been informed as to the details."

"You may have an okay poker face, Remus," said Tonks, "but Aurors are trained to see through that sort of rubbish. You know more about this mission than you're telling. If there's a mission at all."

Thankfully Remus managed not to choke on his toast again. He drank his tea slowly, contemplating his counter. Was Tonks bluffing?

"Are you accusing me of fabricating a mission?" he asked.

"You _are _a Marauder."

Not smiling was a difficult feat; it was nice to know Tonks didn't think him stodgy and straight-laced, but he had to maintain that front for now.

"I have been a professor, and now I am a responsible member of the Order of the Phoenix. The Marauder does not often come out these days."

"Bollocks," said Tonks.

She shifted closer to him, resting one hand on his thigh. Remus felt a rush of warmth, but a chill coursed up his spine as Tonks' other hand slid up his chest and neck to run through his hair.

Voice at a teasingly low pitch, Tonks said, "I know _precisely_ how to bring the Marauder out."

She kissed him tantalizingly, tongue just tracing the inside of his lip. Just as she was drawing him in, the stir of people upstairs – feet pounding, doors slamming, pipes groaning – reminded Remus that privacy in twelve Grimmauld was only an illusion.

"Tonks," he fairly groaned, "the children will walk in at any moment—"

Tonks only relented with her barrage of affection in order to say, "So?"

"So…" Remus turned his head, but the way her lips grazed the corner of his mouth and his cheekbone exacted no less sensation than her kisses on his mouth. "They had best not catch us."

Tonks caught his face in her hands and made him look directly at her. "Professor Lupin likes to kiss girls. I think they'd be fascinated by this side of you."

"Or disturbed."

He gave in to a few quick but soft kisses, during which the pounding of feet grew louder. People were coming down the main stairs. But Tonks seemed not to notice – or not to care – and her lips melted him again.

"Tonks," he rasped, cupping her cheeks, "we've discussed—"

"You're an expert kisser. It would be good for the kids to see how it's done. Think of it as another Defence Against Dark Arts lesson."

She was appealing too much to his male ego. The legs of Remus' chair screeched against the floor as he turned to achieve the proper angle to initiate the kissing. "What Dark Arts do kisses drive away?"

"Dementors?" Tonks said dreamily – then, for all her bravado, she abruptly broke away as voices and feet sounded at the top of the basement stairs. But she whispered, "Broken hearts."

"Have you a broken heart?" Remus whispered back.

"Shattered. Bloody assignments getting in the way of birthday—"

The door flew open, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron fell suddenly silent as they entered. Remus removed his arm from the back of Tonks' chair and pretended to look at his wristwatch. Did the trio have any idea what kind of talk they had just interrupted? Theywere not blushing, at least; hopefully they assumed he and Tonks had been discussing secret Order business, or plans regarding the trip to school.

"Wotcher!" Tonks broke the silence – her voice rather too bright and high, even for her.

"Morning," Remus greeted the teenagers, also failing miserably at sounding casual. "Anxious to get back to Hogwarts?"


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

"One mission down, one to go," said Tonks as she and Remus gazed up the road to Hogwarts even though the children had disappeared from view. "Though I'm still not convinced there is one."

Remus turned to look at her and was relieved to see, in the midst of Tonks' elderly witch disguise, her familiar dark eyes twinkling at him instead of the strange, faded grey she had worn earlier. His spirits, a little depressed at parting with Harry – hoping his old friend's son would be all right, wondering if he ought to have spent more time with him – lifted at Tonks' warmth and humour.

"There really is a mission," Remus said, "but we've got to go see Dumbledore about the details."

Tonks glanced at the distant castle. "Are we meeting him somewhere in Hogsmeade, or are we waiting to go up so we don't appear connected to Harry?"

"We are meeting in the Headmaster's office," Remus replied, "but not being one of _High Inquisitor _Umbridge's favourite people, I cannot exactly stroll through the front doors, can I?"

"The tunnel from Honeydukes?" Tonks asked.

Remus nodded as they started toward the sweet shop. "I've borrowed Moody's invisibility cloak for when we get inside."

"If I stay like this, I suppose my cover could be that I'm Dumbledore's girlfriend."

Some minutes passed before Remus regained his ability to do anything but laugh. Even then, walking and talking remained difficult, due to the way his mirth made his sides ache.

"I had thought to share the cloak with you," he said, "but if you would like to stay in disguise, you certainly may. The Headmaster would no doubt be highly amused."

"He would," said Tonks, eyes glittering even more brightly as her smile widened. "But I'd rather not pose as anyone's girlfriend but yours if I don't have to."

"And I do hope you're not merely posing as mine."

"Well," she said, "I may have to pose a bit under the invisibility cloak."

"The suggestiveness of that remark is lost on me while you look like Dumbledore's girlfriend."

Tonks pursed her withered lips in a pout. "Let's hurry to Honeydukes so I can change back to me." She quickened her stride.

"Slow down," said Remus. "You are still undercover. You've got to walk older – think of me, after transformation."

Hunching her shoulders, Tonks attempted a hobbling gait but succeeded only in slipping in an icy patch. Remus caught her elbow and kept a firm hold as they crossed the street.

"What a nice young man," said Tonks, affecting a thin, tremulous voice. "So few help old ladies cross a street nowadays. Have you got a girl, laddie?"

"I have," Remus replied as they ascended the Honeydukes porch steps. He opened the door for her. "I believe she is in the loo. Could you send Nymphadora out?"

The sagging, wrinkled skin accentuated the deep frown Tonks pulled. "Not such a nice chap after all, calling her a name like that."

While Tonks was in the loo, Remus browsed the sweets. Dumbledore had requested a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans in return for his part in the day's plan.

"Ooh," came Tonks' voice from behind just as Remus plucked one from the shelf. "How'd you know I was craving those?"

Remus formulated a quick response as he turned to face her. Happiness rushed through him at the sight of her youthful, heart-shaped face and bright clothes, as if he were seeing her for the first time that day. It certainly felt like a long time since their interlude in the kitchen…

"Just because I was an abysmal Divination student," he replied, "does not mean I cannot read a mind now and then."

"You can't read mine."

He studied her for a moment. "You are thinking you would like me to buy these for you."

"I was thinking I'll buy them for myself," Tonks corrected, reaching for the sweets.

Withholding the bag, Remus said, "Please, it's the least I can do since we've indefinitely postponed your birthday." He meant it – though his primary goal was to distract her from seeing him buy a bag for Dumbledore. She would _know _something was amiss if she saw that; he hated Every Flavour Beans.

"You're sweet." Tonks rose up on her toes to peck his lips. "They're my favourite, y'know."

"Somehow I am not surprised."

"I do hope that's not a snarky implication about my taste," Tonks said with an arched brow. "I don't like the bogey flavoured ones."

"You have impeccable taste." Remus brushed a bit of pink fringe that had fallen over her forehead. "I only mean it's fitting that you would like Every Flavour Beans when you've got Every Colour Hair."

Tonks grinned. "I reckon it is."

"Now," said Remus, leaning close and lowering his voice, "while I pay, will you go outside and scope out a secluded place for us to—"

"—snog?"

"—put on the invisibility cloak."

When Tonks was gone, Remus snatched another bag of Every Flavour Beans and paid for the two. He shrunk Dumbledore's bag and stowed it way in an inner pocket of his cloak, then exited the sweet shop.

Tonks was waiting for him on the porch. "Found a place – in the alley. Where are my Bertie Bott's?"

Remus handed her the bag, and Tonks stuffed a handful into her mouth as she led the way.

"Don't eat too many," he said. "You will spoil—" He stopped himself just as Tonks glanced at him with raised eyebrows. Merlin, he had nearly ruined everything. But he fumbled for an alternative admonition, as Tonks knew he had been on the verge of making one. "Doesn't it spoil the flavours to mix them all like that?"

Tonks threw back another handful. "This way you can't tell if you get a vomit-flavoured one."

"Bogeys and vomit," Remus muttered. "Why would anybody choose Bertie Bott's over chocolate?"

Between Honeydukes and the neighbouring building, a number of wooden shipping crates were stacked next to a cluster of large bins. The couple slipped behind them, and Remus took Moody's cloak from his pocket, unfolded it, and draped it around himself.

"All right," he said, reaching out one hand to pull Tonks under with him. "Strike a pose."

Remus had anticipated the feel of Tonks' body flush against his, but holding her did not produce the sensations it usually did. Something was not right.

"Tonks," he said cautiously, "please do not take this the wrong way, but…did you make yourself…" He swallowed hard. "…slimmer?"

Her hair tickled his chin. "Yeah. I thought we'd fit better."

"We shall fit just fine if you retain your own shape. Do change back."

"Why?"

Remus' face grew considerably warmer than the rest of him. "Because you don't feel like _you_."

Tonks turned in his arms, and relief mingled with other pleasant sensations as her familiar curves pressed against him. She leant up and kissed his lips gently.

"What was that for?" Remus asked.

"For knowing what I feel like." Tonks gave him another kiss, deep and lingering. Her voice was high and breathless when she said, "And that one's for not liking the feel of another witch's body."

"Do other witches have bodies? I've only noticed yours for months."

It was difficult to see much under the cloak, but at this proximity, Remus thought he detected a blush on her cheeks. Her smile was half-shy and pretty.

"D'you mean that?" Tonks asked. "Or d'you just want another kiss?"

"Yes."

Her arms wound around his neck, and they kissed slowly, thoroughly. Around them were the sounds of Hogsmeade, and the side door of Honeydukes creaked open. Remus' immediate impulse was to break away, but then he remembered that while they stood in plain sight, they remained unseen. James told him once about the wonders of snogging under an invisibility cloak. Remus had not believed it could possibly be as heady as his friend described it; he was delighted to be proven wrong.

Inside the cloak was a world in which no people but them existed, and the only matter was sensation. Here Remus breathed deeper than her perfume and inhaled the fainter scent of her soap – raspberry, like her hair. Her little sighs and sounds which he had always loved amplified, and he heard a language he understood; when he answered, she moulded more perfectly to him, because she could not be anywhere else. Her heart pounded against his, and Remus' body hummed.

Was it the cloak that made him sense so acutely? It wasn't that he had never noticed these things before; it was just that he had never noticed _only _them, with no other thought or concern. Had the cloak allowed him to let go and simply feel? Or was it that he had permitted the Marauder to come out when Tonks beckoned?

He unwound her scarf and trailed kisses down her throat.

"I thought," she gasped, "you were…all business…today." She stepped back, leaning against his encircling arms.

Remus drew deep breaths to calm his racing heart. "I thought so, too, but you did say you knew how to bring out the Marauder."

He wanted very much to go on being a Marauder in this vein, but he had to stick to the plan. It was time to get to Hogwarts. He turned Tonks so that her back was to him again, cast a _silencio _spell to complete their cover, then initiated their slightly awkward, shuffling walk to the side door.

Remus pulled the handle and found the door unlocked, and to their benefit, it led to the back storeroom where the stairs to the cellar were located. Descending in their position was a great feat, and he had visions of Tonks losing her balance and taking them both down. They could not remove the cloak, however, lest they encounter someone in the cellar. By some miracle, Tonks managed to keep her balance, and the darkness of the room indicated they were the only ones in the cellar. They peeled off the cloak and ascended through the trap door into the tunnel.

"_Lumos_," Tonks muttered as Remus slowly lowered the door after them. "Y'know," she said, glancing around, "if we didn't have a mission, this would be a right private place to snog. Are you sure that's not why we're down here?"

Her renewed scepticism made Remus' stomach tie itself in knots. He had always considered himself good at keeping secrets, but he supposed one of the pitfalls of dating an Auror was not being able to avert suspicion. He would simply have to play off her comment.

"That is a thought," he said levelly, lighting his own wand. "Perhaps after our assignment we can come back." The Maurader compelled him to lean close to her ear and murmur, "Though I am personally quite fond of invisibility cloaks."

Tonks giggled, and their free hands clasped as they started down the tunnel. "Wouldn't Mad-Eye be horrified if he knew we snogged under it?"

"Don't tell him," said Remus. "The last thing I want is for him to lecture me about constant vigilance, among other things."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, but Tonks finally said, "You and Sirius already knew about this tunnel when Dumbledore told the Order. How long?"

Remus grinned as a thousand images of himself and his mates at various ages within these tunnels swirled vividly in his memory. "Let's just say if the Marauders happened to have detention during a Hogsmead weekend, we were not deprived of our Honeydukes supply until the next one."

"Didn't your other friends suspect?"

Remus shook his head. "James and Sirius had so much money, everyone assumed they could afford enough to last months."

Tonks stopped walking and dropped his hand. Folding her arms across her chest, she regarded him through narrowed eyes.

"Have I said something offensive?" Remus' hand wandered up to scratch his head as he struggled to account for this abrupt mood swing.

"You were more badly behaved than I ever dreamed of being," said Tonks, "yet you still made prefect. Really now, you lacked the 'certain necessary qualities', too."

"I told you I did," said Remus, maintaining a straight face when he saw how hard she was trying not to smile. "I sense lingering bitterness about this."

They resumed walking, and Tonks' voice became wistful. "I really, _really _wanted to make prefect."

"I must confess," said Remus, taking her hand again, "I am rather surprised. Not that I find you irresponsible, but you're not—"

"A goody-goody? I know. I had ulterior motives."

"Such as?"

"I thought it would be really cool to be the undercover prefect. You know – I could morph, people wouldn't know it was me, I could catch Slytherins up to no good…"

"Everything is clear now," said Remus. "You were born to a career in law enforcement."

Tonks smiled. "When Professor Sprout found out, she encouraged me to think about becoming an Auror."

They reached a dead end with a ladder fixed to the wall, and they looked to see a wooden plank door overhead.

"Hogwarts?" Tonks asked.

Remus drew out the invisibility cloak once more. "Coming with me, or would you like to be Dumbledore's girlfriend after all?"

Tonks pressed herself close to him as he drew the cloak around his shoulders. "I've got a new appreciation for these things, too. Pity they're so rare and expensive…"

Remus allowed himself the indulgence of one lingering kiss, but decided if he was to surprise Tonks at all today, he had best adopt a professional front befitting a covert errand. "All right then. Let's go see what Dumbledore's got in store for us."


	3. Part Three

**Part Three**

Hogwarts rang with the clamour of students just returned from the holidays as Remus and Tonks crept silently and invisibly through the corridors in the invisibility cloak. They dodged more than a few of his former students, and Remus ached inside. If only he could teach here again. Though, as he walked with his arms around Tonks, he realised if he were granted one wish of his own choosing, it would not be to have his beloved Defence Against Dark Arts post back, but to have this young woman always. It was slightly more likely to come true than the old wish, and for the time being, he allowed the thought to bolster him. Today he would not let melancholy and doubt creep in and steal his happiness.

They arrived at the hallway to the Headmaster's rooms. "Bertie Bott's," Remus said, and the gargoyle moved aside as the spiral staircase appeared and carried them up to Dumbledore's office.

Tonks poked her arm out of the invisibility cloak and rapped the brass knocker, and Dumbledore's voice bid them enter.

The silver-haired wizard looked up from at his great desk and fixed his gaze vaguely at the open door through which his invisible guests passed. Smiling, he said, "Remus and Nymphadora, I presume?"

Remus opened the cloak, and Tonks stumbled out into the circular room. Dumbledore rose and shook both of their hands, then motioned for them to take the two armchairs in front of the desk.

"I am delighted," he said, remaining standing behind his desk, "to thank you in person for your brilliant execution of this morning's assignment. I could not have chosen a more efficient pair to escort Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and the Weasleys."

Though the praise brought Remus deep pleasure, his cheeks prickled with a flush of self-consciousness. How could Dumbledore always put such faith in him, when Remus had, more often than not, failed to meet expectations?

Tonks, on the other hand, beamed at Remus, then at Dumbledore. "We work rather well together, don't we?"

"Indeed, Nymphadora." The Headmaster's blue eyes twinkled behind half-moon spectacles as he took his seat. "Though I must confess, I am rather disappointed to have missed out on your disguise."

Tonks promptly scrunched up her face. Her skin stretched and sagged and wrinkled, and her hair seemed almost to wither like plants in winter as it fell lank against her head, faded to grey, then coiled into tight curls. "It's better with my tweed skirt and jacket."

"Nonetheless," said Dumbledore, eyes flickering just briefly toward Remus, "you make quite a smart witch of advanced years."

Remus did not miss the glance, and it left his stomach feeling rather unsettled. Had Dumbledore meant to imply…? Surely not – it was the sort of joke Sirius might make, or any number of Order members. No one, though, was above curiosity; even Dumbledore might wonder what a man thought when his partner made such a drastic change of appearance. And if he _were _teasing, with his involvement in Remus' rather elaborate scheme to surprise Tonks, Dumbledore was, perhaps, more entitled than anyone else to do so. Remus supposed he was simply unaccustomed to such a familiar rapport.

Not surprisingly, Tonks was not in the least rattled by the casualness of this meeting. She changed back into her own form, then grinned cheekily at the Headmaster. "I thought about coming in through the main entrance and announcing myself as your girlfriend."

Dumbledore's smile lines deepened, and his shoulders trembled with a silent laugh. "If you are at all alarmed by this, Remus, you must understand that Nymphadora refers to an April Fool's Day prank, which she may or may not wish for me to disclose."

Tonks let out a shriek of laughter and took Remus' hand. For a moment, he did not close his fingers around her, startled by the bold affection in front of someone he would have once died of mortification to catch him holding hands with a girl. But Tonks' hand was firm and warm, and the memory of kissing her under the invisibility cloak was fresher than impressions of schoolboy bashfulness. Anyway, it wasn't as if Dumbledore weren't perfectly aware they were romantically involved. In fact, his expression as he witnessed their affection was one of deep pleasure and approval.

Emboldened, Remus squeezed Tonks' hand, and wove their fingers together. "Do give him permission to disclose."

"Disclose away, Professor," she said, returning the pressure. "It's no worse than anything Remus did as a boy."

"I think not." The fond half-grin accompanying Dumbledore's miniscule wink reassured Remus the Headmaster was only thinking of the Marauders' relatively harmless acts of mischief. "Now, I believe it April Fool's Day of your fourth year, was it not?"

Tonks nodded, mouth contorting as she held back laughter.

"Throughout that day," Dumbledore continued, "Nymphadora visited my office in the guise of each female faculty member and confessed undying love for me."

Remus howled as this anecdote threw Tonks' joke into a new light. "How many detentions did _that _earn you?"

"Something like two days for each impersonation," Tonks replied, "and two more for every class I skived."

Remus winced.

"I thought it a rather severe punishment for a relatively harmless prank," Dumbledore agreed, "but of course my ego was a bit inflated that day. I felt it best left up to the offended staff."

"All those weeks of detentions," Tonks said, "are the reason I've no romantic history. None of the boys would go out with the Hufflepuff who was always engaged in the evenings. Even if I was a Metamorphmagus."

"Your familiarity with detention," said Remus, "and your _very_ capable management of mischief certainly would have endeared you to the Marauders."

She smiled at him, but became slightly subdued as she added, "Well, I reckon it was probably the last straw that kept me from making prefect, too."

"Yes," said Remus lightly, "I can see how impersonating your professors constitutes an inability to behave."

Tonks scowled playfully, but released Remus' hand and slipped into professional mode as she turned to the Headmaster. "So, our assignment?"

"Ah yes," said Dumbledore, equally business-like. "My brother Aberforth sends word of peculiar activity in the Shrieking Shack last night. I do not know if that is Aberforth's definition of peculiar or ours, but in case it is the former, you should brace yourselves for surprises of the exceedingly strange and very likely alarming variety."

"D'you think it's anything dangerous?" Tonks asked.

"I am not certain," he replied, picking up a parchment from his desk and perusing it. "In a highly illegible note, Aberforth makes mention of someone doing chores."

Remus, perfectly aware of what Aberforth had heard in the Shrieking Shack, snorted. Dumbledore's eyes glittered.

"What?" said Tonks, looking back and forth between the two wizards. "Is this a joke?"

"Sorry," Remus recovered, "I was just picturing you as Sibyll Trelawney…"

Tonks looked sceptical, but the look vanished when Dumbledore chuckled and said, "That was the most entertaining of all."

"Care to share, Tonks?" Remus asked.

"Later," replied the Auror brusquely. "So Aberforth thinks someone's doing _chores_ in the Shrieking Shack? As in, moved in and is casting householdy spells?"

Dumbledore held out his open palms. "One can only assume. However, I did not know until I received this missive that Aberforth could write at all, so chores may not have been the word he intended. Whatever the case, " he said, clasping his hands on his desk and weaving his long, thin fingers together, "we cannot be too cautious. Only a select few know how to enter the Shrieking Shack, and it must be done from Hogwarts grounds."

"You can't Apparate into it?" Tonks asked.

"No," said Dumbledore. "I have taken every precaution so that it is impossible to enter any way but through the passage under the Whomping Willlow. And that is tried and true – the Weasley twins have exhausted every conceivable means of getting inside."

Remus chuckled. "They spent the better part of the summer apprising me of all their failed attempts. You've got to hand it to them for creativity."

"They are exceptionally clever," said Dumbledore with another barely noticeable wink, "though I think all trouble-makers are."

Remus wanted to ask Tonks if _her _trouble-making had ever included attempts at breaking and entering the Shrieking Shack, but a glance at her told him she was not in the frame of mind for strolls down memory lane. Her jaw muscle worked, and she ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at the ends.

"Meaning no disrespect, Professor," she said, sitting up straighter in her chair, "but why didn't Aberforth report this unusual activity to Magical Law Enforcement?"

"Aberforth is very likely on the wrong side of the law," Dumbledore replied, "and I would prefer to keep anything involving the Shrieking Shack off-record. Remember, I did not disclose that entrance even to the Order."

"Fair enough." Features set in firm lines, Tonks stood and said, "Well, I reckon an Auror and a Defence Against Dark Arts expert ought to be enough to handle whoever's cleaning up the Shrieking Shack."

"You shall be more than adequate." Dumbledore rose to see them out. "I am sure you shall complete the task in time for supper."

Remus felt a slight prick of annoyance at the last; but then, Dumbledore could not realise how suspicious Tonks was of this whole thing. A glance at her business-like expression, however, assured him she was focused on their assignment. As he put on the invisibility cloak for the third time that day, he remembered Dumbledore's payment.

"Your Every Flavoured Beans, Professor." At that, Tonks did look perplexed, so Remus quickly explained, "He asked me in this morning's owl to pick some up for him."

"Ah," said Dumbledore, opening the bag, "my mouth has been watering for a nice toffee-flavoured one. I only hope I do not mistake it for ear wax this time."


	4. Part Four

**Part Four**

"Boggart?" Tonks asked in a low tone as she and Remus stood before a rattling cupboard in the Shrieking Shack.

"Most likely," Remus replied, "though I am surprised a boggart could make enough noise for Aberforth to notice."

Tonks nodded vaguely, clearly preoccupied with another thought. "Aberforth described sounds of chores."

She strode about the sitting room with a lit wand to inspect the place more closely. The curtains were shredded, and most of the furniture was broken and battered, but Tonks ran her hands over everything, and sure enough, turned up not so much as a speck of dust.

"A building that's been vacant for years should be filthy," she said.

Remus frowned. Last night, he'd found the Shrieking Shack looking precisely like a building that had been vacant for years. Leaving it in that state of squalor had not been an option, if he wanted to give it even a semblance of comfort; but he wished there had been some way to tidy without drawing attention to having. Could this one detail strike Tonks as incongruous enough to make her disbelieve the entire elaborate scheme?

Clearing his throat, Remus said, "You think something besides the boggart has been here, then?"

"Absolutely."

The conviction of her tone filled him with relief, and he relaxed as Tonks continued, "A boggart could never get past the wards, and certainly the bloody things aren't smart enough to get in through the Whomping Willow." She turned and looked at Remus with arched brows. "Why are you smiling?"

He had not realised he had been, but he was not surprised. In this case honesty would not compromise his plan, so he admitted, "I've never seen you on the job, investigating like this. It's an intriguing side of you, and I can see you don't miss a thing."

Tonks flashed a quick smile, but she was in full Auror mood and did not let her attention linger on Remus' admiration or compliments. She had been like this since they left Dumbledore; the walk across the school grounds under the invisibility cloak had been brisk, involving considerably less intimate contact than earlier, and the trek through the tunnel from the Whomping Willow had been completely nonphysical. But there would be plenty of time for that soon enough.

Facing the cupboard again, Tonks said over the pounding sounds, "Someone put that thing in here."

"Why?" Remus knew full well this whole business was a farce, yet he was curious as to what theory she would create. "Who would let a boggart into a ramshackle house no one ever enters, and why would they bother to sweep and dust the place?"

"Doesn't matter," Tonks replied. "What matters is someone _did_. D'you think Dumbledore will want us to camp here tonight and watch?"

Remus shrugged. "Perhaps we ought to dispose of the boggart, just in case?"

Tonks eyed the cupboard warily. "I'm not entirely sure that's what's in there."

"Only one way to find out," said Remus, moving at an angle where he could best access the cupboard. "Shall I open it? Or if you would rather, you can, and I will take care of whatever comes out."

"No," said Tonks firmly. "I'm the Auror."

Stifling another grin, Remus said, "Be ready with a _riddikulus _and a stunner, in case it's not a boggart."

"I _know_, Remus."

Remus delayed for a moment before opening the door. Nothing of the awkward or clumsy remained in Tonks' stance as she positioned herself directly in front of the cupboard. Her feet were planted firmly on the floor; her shoulders flung back and squared. Her jaw was set, and her dark eyes hardened on the door as though she could already see the creature within. Remus hoped she wouldn't turn that intensity on him – unless, of course, it was channelled into kissing – when he revealed the contents of the cupboard.

"Ready?" he asked, more for his own benefit than for hers. "Whatever happens, I've got you covered."

Tonks nodded. "Let it out."

Remus raised his wand and shouted, "_Alohamora_!"

The door opened, and instead of a boggart or any other creature, bright pink balloons and purple festoons floated out, and affixed themselves to the banisters and around the windows, making the ramshackle house less gloomy. At the same time, the banging sounds had been replaced by voices raised in the birthday song. For a moment, Tonks gaped in astonishment; then, as understanding dawned on her, happiness bloomed on her face.

"_Choir_!" she cried, bursting into laughter. "Aberforth was trying to spell _choir_, not _chores_!"

But her laughter died, and her eyes widened again as the last of the balloons emerged from the cupboard. She leant forward and squinted at a miniscule object that settled on the floor.

Remus flicked his wand and said, "_Engorgio_."

The item enlarged to a proper dining table, dressed with crisp white linens, sparkling china and crystal, and gleaming silver; lit with glowing candelabras; laden with a feast.

"Blimey," said Tonks when the birthday song ended, but still resonated through the old house. "That was some spellwork, Remus. Maybe you should think about going into the surprise party business. Y'know – partner with Fred and George if they ever get their joke shop off the ground."

"Excellent notion. _Incendio_." A fire crackled to life in the grate, bathing the room in a warm, flickering glow. Remus tucked his wand back into his robes. "For wild parties, Snape-in-drag shall leap from the cupboard."

Tonks grimaced. "Thank you for not throwing me a wild party."

Now that the secret he had kept all day was revealed, Remus felt suddenly self-conscious. "I know you requested a simple picnic for your birthday. I hope this suits you."

"This _is_ a picnic." She grinned and gestured to the table. "On a slightly grander scale." Her expression softened, and her voice dropped to an awed hush. "No one's ever gone to so much trouble for me."

Remus' heart swelled simultaneously as his throat constricted. He had never made this kind of effort, and knowing this moment was new and special to them both made it that much sweeter.

However, he couldn't help but rue the location, despite the fact that it really was the only place he could have done this. Dryly, he said, "I didn't think anyone would have taken you to the Shrieking Shack for your birthday."

Tonks rolled her eyes, and Remus made a mental note to avoid anything remotely self-deprecating to spoil her night.

"Everything's so elegant," she said dreamily, examining the table again. She glanced self-consciously at her everyday robes worn open over jeans and a pink and green-striped jumper Molly had knitted her for Christmas. "I'm not dressed properly."

Remus admired her unabashedly as he moved to stand beside her. He kissed her cheek and said, "You're beautiful and perfect."

Blushing, Tonks observed they were still wearing cloaks and scarves. Remus slipped hers off her shoulders, and she shrugged out of her robes as well.

While he hung the garments in the hall cupboard, Tonks lifted the covers from each of the dishes: roast chicken, glazed carrots, green beans, buttered bread, and a chocolate cake with pink icing flowers. Remus held his breath, waiting for her to inquire how he had come by the food. How could he explain to her it had come from the Hogwarts kitchen – payment for their services today – without it seeming like charity? But Tonks did not ask, either guessing the source, or not caring.

"Beyond luring us here," she said, turning to him, "how involved was Dumbledore in all this? Did he help you scheme?"

"The scheming was entirely up to me," he said proudly, crossing the room to her. He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and added, "Marauder specialty, you know. Dumbledore helped me put everything in order. Last night we brought the food over and cast preservation charms, and we collaborated on the song spell."

"Oh, I wish I could've been there for that! Adventures in Spellwork with Professors Dumbledore and Lupin."

"Getting the song right was certainly an adventure." Remus grinned at the mental images. "It is rather a hybrid of a howler and a singing Valentine, but neither of us was certain how to achieve the proper volume. Our first attempt was so loud, we feared it would wake everyone in Hogsmeade."

"Why didn't you cast an Imperturbable Charm before you experimented with song spells?"

Remus sputtered for a moment. It had never crossed his mind, and apparently not Dumbledore's either. "We did not anticipate so thoroughly botching it."

Tonks smirked. "Egotistical buggers."

"Everyone already thinks this place is haunted," said Remus quickly, "what do a few strange noises matter? And anyway the point is that Aberforth heard it and provided an excellent cover story for us. I've no idea what we would have told you otherwise."

"I can't get over Aberforth mistaking chores and choir," said Tonks, giggling again. "How can he be the Professor's brother?"

"I believe Dumbledore asks himself the same question quite often."

The story told, silence now enveloped the couple. Tonks stared contemplatively into the fire, a little smile playing on her lips. Remus stepped closer to her and, from behind, slipped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and caught the faint sent of her perfume as he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck. Happiness stole over him as she sighed and rested her hands on top of his.

"So after all my efforts to keep this secret," he asked, "were you really surprised? You've had me worried with your constant suspicion – though I suppose I ought to praise your vigilance to Moody."

"I can't help it that you were acting suspiciously," Tonks countered, facing him, "but once we spoke with Dumbledore I really did believe we had to clean out the Shrieking Shack."

She hugged him tightly and tucked her head under his chin. "This is a lovely surprise, with a fun mystery at the beginning." Laughing, she said, "I do wish I'd stayed in my old lady disguise for Dumbledore. He'd have taken it as thanks for his help."

"That reminds me," said Remus, "I _do_ expect to hear about you posing as Trelawney."

"While we eat," she said. "But first…" Her hands slid to rest on his chest as she stretched up to kiss him softly. "Thank you, Remus. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have you."

Even if he had been able to speak, Remus knew no words to describe how she made him feel. He cupped her sweet face in his hands, and kissed her deeply, hoping it would be enough; and he'd never felt more exhilarated than when her response, eager and yielding at once, revealed her understanding.

Some minutes later they stood each other as they caught their breath and regained balance. Tonks smiled dreamily at him for a long time, running her small, callused fingers over his face, but then her focus became suddenly sharper and she glanced around the sitting room.

"Y'know, Remus, you're very clever and creative to do all this, but there's one thing you got wrong."

"I thought we were going to work on follow-up to romantic moments."

"D'you want to know what?" she asked, dark eyes mischievous.

"What's that?"

"The name of this place. After tonight, You've got to start calling it the Snogging Shack."

"The Most Romantic Dwelling in Britain?"

"And _don't_ say that would disturb the students more than the thought of you transforming here."

"Professor Lupin might say that, but right now I'm Moony the Marauder." He held Tonks tighter and dipped his head down to hers. "And I _very_ much like the idea of a Snogging Shack."

_The End_


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